Playing off the six degrees of separation theory, they’ve used an algorithm to map every player in NBA history and provide the shortest route between two players based on teammates in common.

For example, former Sonics Gary Payton and Kevin Durant are just two degrees apart: Payton played for the 2002-03 Milwaukee Bucks with Desmond Mason, who played for the 2008-09 Oklahoma City Thunder with Durant.

Alas, the six degrees theory doesn’t hold up in the NBA. For example, eight degrees are needed to link the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin to Charlie Parsley of the 1949-50 Philadelphia Warriors.

And the player with the lowest average connection to every player in NBA history is James Edwards, who played 19 seasons with eight teams at the middle of NBA history. It takes an average of 2.46 connections to link him to any player, followed closely by Moses Malone. The analysis points out that Shaquille O’Neal is likely to replace Edwards in the near future.